Electrical multiplier for loom box motion



2 Sheets-Sheet li 9 I a fun. 1. M 4/ S m n 16H H W W WV 9 9 o 1 TD M 911. L/ m. 1, I 3 A. I .I.\.\.C 1 "M 1 w J 1 1 d J. N. DUMAS ELECTRICAL MULTIPLIER FOR LOOM Box MOTION Filed Aug. 4, 1927 May 7, 1929. J DUMAS 1,711,591

ELECTRICAL MULTIPLIER FOR LOOM BOX MOTION Filed Aug.4, 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED'STATES T oFF1cE.--

JOSEPH 1v. DUMAS, or oxronn, MASSACHUSETTS, assrenoa TO ICROMPTON &

KNOWLES LOOM won'xs, MASSACHUSETTS.

OF'XVORCESTER, IvIASSACI-IUSETTS, A. CORPORATION 031" ELECTRICAL MULTIPLIER non LOOM Box lac-Tron.-

Application filediAugust 4, 1927. Serial 110. 210,668. I

This invention relates to improvements in multipliers for the box motions of looms and it is the general ob ect of the inventlon to provide an electrically controlled inechanism wherem any selected shuttle may be kept in action for any desired length of time. Many patterns or repeats call, for the oc-' casional use of one shuttle and the rather trequentuse of other shuttles and a pattern chain to control such a sequence and made in the usual way would be of considerable length because of the fact that a great number of picks might lie between those picks laid by the shuttle which is only-in occasional use. Numerous mechanical devices have been employed for shortening the length or the box chain, said motions usually employing an auxiliary or counter chain which turns while the main chain is at rest to hold any selected shuttle in action fora number of successive picks. These mechanical devices areso' constructed that the different pattern and multiplying chains can get out; of step with each other unless the weaver is careful in making a pick-out and it is an important object of my present invention to provide a motion for counting a large number of successive picks wherein chains and the like will be omitted and wherein the surfaces which determine the sequence in which the shuttles shall be active will be stationary and not subject to relative movement.

It is a more particular object of my invention to arrange the controlling contacts in two parallel groups so that the contacting member may move the length of one group while weavingl alf the pattern and then have it lQVGlSQ movement to render operative the other set or group, of contacts to complete the pattern, thereby leaving the cont-acting member in the same position at the star;- ot each repeat to be woven. It a still further object of my invention to combine a cam box motion with a pair of intermediate devices one of which oscillates at all times with the cam box motion while the other de iceis connected to the first device or disconnected from. it depending upon whether the boxes are to be controlled by the cam box motion or by the multiplying mechanism. I

With these and other objects in view which will appearas the description pro-.

coeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In" the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown my invention as applied to a loom having two drop boxes, 1' i Fig. 1 is a side elevation. of a loom showing my invention applied thereto, the electric circuits being indicated diagrammatically, with the parts in such a position that the cam box motion controls the boxes,

Fig. 2 1s an enlarged side elevation of the disk membersor devices by means of which the boxes are moved,

F1g 3 1s a front elevation taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, j

Fig. 4 1s an enlarged detailside elevation of the actuating portion'of the multiplier,

parts being in section,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 55, 7

in which is mounted a crank shaft 11 and a lay 12 provided with a pair of shifting drop boxes 13 supported on a box rod 14. The rod 14 extends through a sleeve 15 guided by rocker foot 16 mounted on rocker pin 17 and said sleeve has connection with the lower end of a box lifting chain 18. extending upwardly over sheave 19 and down around a lower sheave 20 loose on the'rocker pin. A spring S surrounds rod 14 and lies between the sleeve and the boxes 13 to communicate lifting movement of the chain to the boxes. A collar C on the rodlt limits the spring and boxes. The box motion may be substantially the same as that shown in prior Patent No. 329,396 issued October 27, 1885 to L. J. Knowles. 1 While I have shown a particular tor-mot box motion yet I do not wish. to be limited to thesame. i

In the lower part of the loom frame there is mounted a cam shaft 21 making a complete revolution in four picks and having secured thereto a box cam 22. Said cam has high and low dwell portions 23 and 24:,

respectively, with intermediate lifter sur-' faces all of said surfaces cooperating with a box lifting cam lever 26 pivoted as at 27 to the hired part of the frame. The particular form of boX cam and lever may be varied and I do not wish to be limited to the particular form as set forth herein.

My invention relates to the mechanism for controlling the boxes 13 sothat they may either be lifted and depressed as the cam 22 rotates on the shaft 21. or may be held either in raised or lowered position to permit one or the other of the shuttles to remain active a considerable number of picks irrespinztiveof the movements of the cam 22.

llccordingly, in carrying my invention into effect I provide a fixed stud 30 mounted on a bracket 31 secured to the loomside and mount on said studSU a pair of disks shown herein as of unequal sizes for the sake of clearness. The smaller disk 32 has secured thereto the upper end of a cord, strap or other flexible connection 33, the lower end of which extends around a sheave 34 and is connected to the cam lever 26 as at 35. A tension spring 36 interposed between a pin 37 on the bracket 31 and a portion of the disk 32 as at 38 tends normally to turn the disk 32 in a counterclockwise direction, thus holding the lever 26 against the cam 22. As the cam shaft rotates during the normal operation of the loom the disk 32 will oscillate back and forth about the stud 30, being moved to the right positively by the cam and V cam lever and being moved to the left on the return stroke by the spring 36.

The previously mentioned flexible connection 18 by means of which the boxes are raised and lowered extends around and undersheave 20, around a second sheave 40, and then upwardly to be secured as at 41 to the second and larger disk 42. By means of the connection between the boxes and said disk '42 right hand movement of the latter will raise the boxes, said boxes falling of their own weight when the disk 42 is free to rock in the opposite direction.

The devices for normally causing; the disks to rotate together include a bar 43 slidably mounted on the disk 32 and having pivotal connection with. an armature lever 44 pivoted to the disk 32. y The right hand end of the slide 43 as viewed in 1 will normally be held projr-wted beyond. the periphery of the disk 32 by a light tension spring 45 interposed between the armature lever and a part of the disk 32. hen in this position the end of the slide bar43 will lie in. the path of 2. lug 46 projectinglaterally from the disk 42. l/Vith the parts in this position the slide 43 will engage the lug 46 as the disk 32 moves in a right hand direction under the influence of the cam 22 to cause the larger disk 42 also to have aright hand movement, thus pulling on the flexible connection 18' to lift the boxes 13. When the cam lever 26 moves in the opposite direction the spring together with the weight of the boxes will cause the disks to have a left hand movement. The boxes rise and fall with the rotation of the cam 22, but it will be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the particular movement of the cam or boxes, although as shown herein one shuttle will be active for two picks and will then move out of action while the other shuttle is active for two picks to give a two and two box change.

My invention further relates to the means for disconnecting the disks 62 and 42 and holding the latter in locked position so that thccoustant vibration of the lever 26 need .not be communicated to the shuttle boxes In order to disconnect the disk 32 from the disk 42 I mount. on theformer an electromagnet 60 which is positioned to attract the depending; arm 61 of the armature lever 44 when said magnet is energized and withdraw the slide bar 43 out of position with respect to the lug 46.

The mechanism for controlling the electromagnet 60 and lock lever 52 is illustrated at the right hand side of Fig. 1, where it will be seen that the frame 62 preferably of insulating materialis secured on the loo-mside and has vertically mounted therein for rotation a screw 68 which extends through and has threaded connection with a travelling contact member 64 having right and left hand contact spring arms 65 and 66, respec tively, see Fig. 6. The arms 65 and 66 are arranged for engagement electrically with contact strips 70, 70 and contact )o.ints 71, 71" mounted on the frame 62 and the screw 63 may be electrically connected to electric contact plate 47 carried by but insulated from lever 26 by means of wire 7 2.

The mechanism for rotating the screw 63 includes an arm 7 5 secured to the rocker pin 17 and extending upwardly so as to pivot ally support upper and lower pawls 76 and 77, respectively. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 each of said pawls is provided with a hold spring 7 8 which lies between a pin 79 fixed to the arm and a pin 80 secured to the pawl. The spring is so located that as the pawls move from one position to another the spring will pass over the center of the pawl to complete the movement of the latter. Each pawl is provided vwith a. pair of stop screws indicated at 81 which engage a per- This feature Said 6 ice tion of the arm 75 to limitn'iovement said pinion 90 secured to the lower end of screw 63. Said screw may have a'shoulder 91 as shown in Fig. 4 to limit downwardmovement. of the screw and afford a support therefor.

A weighted rocker arm 92 pivoted relatively to' the support 62 adjacent the upper end of the-screw is positioned for mechanical engagement with spring arm 66 carried by the member 64, said spring arm tending to lift the rockerarm'92 away from stop 48 as the member 64 moves to the upper limit ofits movement. A second weighted rocker arm 93 pivoted to the bracket 62.is positioned for engagement by said contact arm 66 as the latter nears the lower limit of its movement to depress said arm 93. Anextension 94 on the rocker arm 93 is connectedby means of a flexible cord 95 extending around sheave 96 to the lower pawl 77 and the rocker arm92 is connectedby a flexible cord 97 to the upper pawl 76, said pawls beingconnected together by a. link 98 causing them to move vertically ineunison.

. As the lay moves back and forth arm will carry one or the other of the pawls into engagement with the corresponding ratchet wheel and the stud shaft 84 will be given an angular movement .inone direction or the other to cause a corresponding movement on the part of the vertical screw-63, When the parts are in the posit-ion shown inv Fig. 1 and the contact member is at'the bottom of its travel so that lever 93 is depressed to throw pawl 77 out of action and pawl 76 into action, continued running of the loom will cause a rotation of the right hand threaded screw 63 in the. direction of arrow A so that the contact member 64 will begin to rise. The boxes 13 will be controlled bythe cam 22 until the contact member engages one of the contact strips. Assoon as arm 66 contacts with the strip 70 the following circuit will be closed; current will flow from battery B along wire 100, wire 101, electro magnet 102, switch 103,-wires 104and 105, contact strip 70', contact arm 66, contact member 64, screw 63, wire'72 contact plate 47 on lever 26, contact 107 wire 106 back to the battery B. When this circuit is closed electro-magnet 102 will be energized to move the lock lever 52 downwardly; so thatthe locking end thereof "will en-ten one on the other of the locking pockets 50 or 51. As shown'herein the pocket 50 is properly positioned to receive the locking lever 52 and it will further be seen that the circuit just traced will not be completed until the lever 26 is in the position shown in Fig. 1- to establish connection between contact plate 47 and contact 107 and that such contact takes place only at-such times as pocket 50 is in position toreceive the lever 52. The disk 42 is now'locked againstmovementso that the boxes 13 will remaindownu In order to prevent the next movement of disk 32 from tending to rock disk 42 it necessary to withdraw the slide bar 43 and this is done closing a circuit including contact plate 108 carried bybut insulated from the lock lever 52. When thelock lever I is depressed asecond circuit will be closed as follows; battery B, wire 100, wire 110, electro-magnet 60, wire 111,. contact point 109, contactplate 108, wire 112, wire 106 back to the-opposite pole of the battery. The effect of closing t-liissecondcircuit is-to energize electro-magnet 60 which, when energized, will attract the arm' 61 ofthe armature lever 44 against the action of light spring 45' to move the protruding end of the sliding bar 43 inwardly out of the path of the lug 46 on disk 42'. This circuit will be closed as long as the lock lever 52 holds-the disk42 against angular motion and the diskv 32 may oscillate on its pivot under the influence of cam 22 withoutimparting its mo tion to the disk 42. In this way connection between the disks is interrupted at the time disk 42 is held in locked position andthe weightof the boxes being supported by the lock lever 52 and notch 50"tends to preserve mechanical'contact between the lever 52 and disk42 to overpower the action of light tenion spring The periodic interruptions to the first circuit'traced due to the oscillation of lever 26 toward and from contact 107will therefore not act to release the disk 42' when the electro-magnet 102' isdeenergized. l

As the screw 63 continues to rotate the contact member will ascend and in time spring. contact arm 66 will leave contact strip 70 and electro-magnet 102 will be deenergized, but as previously explained the lock lever 52 will be held down by the weight of the boxes. In fact, the contact strip 70 may be replaced by a contact point if desired. at the contact member 64'moves iio upwardly contact finger 66 will engage point I 71 and a third circuit will be closed as fol-v lows; battery B, wire"100, wire'101, wire 113, elect-ro-magnet 114, Wire 115, switch iao ergize electrodnagnet 11-lthe ei'liect of which will be to raise lock lever 52 and release disk 12. A further effect of closing this third circuit is to break the contact between points 108 and 109 so thatthe secondcircuit including ,electro-ma gnet 60 is broken and spring 415 will act to move the sliding bar 13 into the path of the lug 16. 1 Thus it will. be seen that by closing this third circuit disk 12 is unlocked and slide 43 is rendered operative to cause movement of disk 32 to be transmitted to the disk 41-2. The light spring; 53 serves to hold the lock lever 52 elevated even though electro-mannct 11 1 be deenergized as soon as lever26 moves away from contactpoint 107 tointerrupt the third cir cuit. Inasmuch as spring; 53 is sufficiently strong to break the circuit between the con.- tacts 108 and 109 the contact 71 may be merely a point.

As the contact member 6 1 nears the upper limit of its travel the contact finger 66 will engage the rocking lever 02 to raise the same to cause an upward pull on the cord 97 the effect of which will be to lift pawl 76 out of position with respect to its ratchet and to lift pawl 77 into action relatively to pawl 83, these pawls being held in position by the springs 78 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. A continued movement of the loom therefore etlects a reversal of the screw tib and the contact member will begin to descend. Only half of the repeat has been completed however when the contact member reaches the upper limit of its movement and the contact strips and points and 71" respectively, lying to the right of the screw 63 as shown in Fi 1 are depended upon for completing the pattern. .The switches 103 and 116 were raised while the contact memher was going up and for this reason the contact strips and points 70" and 71'" on the right hand side of screw 63 were disconnected circuits so that although they had electrical contact with linger 65 yet they exerted no control over the mechanism. The upward pull of the cord 97, however, causes a throwing of the switch 103 by the mechanism shown in Fig. 7. As shown therein the cord has operative connection with a link 118 insulated from but connected to switches 103 and 116 to cause them to move in unison and said cordis trained around a set 01' sheaves as shown in Fig. 7. As the rock lover 92n1ovcs to'reverse the direction of the screw 63 the cord 97 will also act to lower link 118 to throw switches 103 and 116 to low position. Switch, 103 will then be electrically con- .necteil by wire 119 to contact strips 70 on the right-of screw 63 and switch 116 will be connected by wire 120 to contact points 71. At. thesame time contact strips and points 70 and '71 will be disconnected so that they can exert no influence oi the previously traced circuits. As the contact member moves downwardly the first and third circuits already traced will be closed through contact strips and points 70" and 71 instead of through members 70 and 71. hen the contact member 64: reaches its low position the pattern repeat will be completed and the rock lever 94- depressed to restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1, after which the sequence of operations describedwill be repeated.

The repeat will not always be of the same length and to provide for this condition 1 mount the-rocker arm 92 on a small block 130 and secure the same to the support 62 by means of belt 131 which extends through a slot 132 lying vertically in the support A stop 48 for the lever 92 is also carried by the block 130 and when the latter is moved to assume a new position a corresponding change will be made in the length of the cord 97. In this way the length of travel of the contact member-'64 may be varied to meet the changing conditions ot the repeat. The contact strips and points are arrangedrin such order as to determine the times when the cam 22 shall control the boxes and when certain boxes shall remain at rest to keep one shuttle active, contact of one of the contact spring arms 65 or 66 with the contact strip causinga multiplying action to disconnect the disks and contact of said spring arms with one of the points 71 or 71 restoring the boxes to control the cam 22. a

The description given hereinbetore was in connection with pocket 50 and contact 107 but it is to be understood that the contact strips and points can be so placed as to energize elcctro-magnet 102 when the pocket 51 under the lock lever 52 and the contact str p 47 touches contact 141-0.

The latter is connected to the battery B by Wire 141 and the previously traced circuits involving contact 107 can be completed by means of wire 14:1 and contact 1 10 when the lever 26 is moved to such a position as would raise the boxes and place pocket 51 under the lock lever 52. 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that l have provided. an electrical control for a box motion wherein the periodic movement of the disk 42 may be interrupted for any desired length of time to hold the boxes at rest. It will further be seen that the up and down movement of the contact member 64 completes the pattern thereby permitting double the length of a comparatively long screw to correspond with the repeat in the pattern. Also, the disks are connected and disconnected in predetermined order and operate to transmit the motionot the cam 22 to the boxes or to hold the latter out of control. of said cam.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes andmodifications may be made therein by thoseskilled in the art without departing from'the spirit,

and scope of the invention, and I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein dis-.

, closed but what I claim is:

ularlvanovin device to im art shiftin movement to the boxes, and electro-mag netically controlled means including a travelling contact member actuated by the'periodically moving part to disconnect said device from the boxes.

3. In a loom having ,a periodically moving part requiring a plurality of picks of the loom to complete its cycle and shifting shuttle boxes, a lay, means to move said boxes relatively to the lay in a predetermined order, and electro-magnetic-ally operated means including a contact member moving v in timed relation With a moving partof ly to the lay in a predetermined order, a travelling contact member, connections bethe loom to disconnect the shuttle boxes from the member predetermined intervals. 4. In a loom having a periodically movs iuttle boxes, a lay, mechanism to give said shuttle boxes shifting movements relativetween the periodically moving part and said contact member to give thelatter a regular movement as the loom operates, and electromagnetic means electrically. connected to the contact member to disconnect the mechanism from the boxes at predetermined intervals during the travel .oijthe contact member.

5. In a loom having a lay and shifting shuttle boxes, movable in opposite directions along a line fixed relativelyto the lay mechanism to give said boxes shifting'movements in predetermined order, and electromagnetic means including a contact member having a regular movement While theloom is running to render said electro-magetic means effective to disconnect the mechanism from the shuttle boxes at predetermined intervals.

6. In a loom having a lay and shifting shuttle boxes, movable in opposite directions along a line fixed relatively to the lay actuating mechanism to shift the boxes in a predetermined order, electro-magnetic means ng iart requiring a plurality of picks of he loom to complete its cycle and, shifting l to disconnect said actuating mechanism from the shuttle boxes at predetermined intervals, said -electro-magneti'c. means including contact points on a contact member, and means to cause relative movement between the contact points and the contact member .as the loom runs. i a i 7. In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuating mechanism to move said boxes in predetermined order, a contact member .to receive a progressivemovement as the loom runs, electro-magnetic means to disconnect the actuating means from the boxes, and ad ditional electro-magnetic means to lockthe boxes When disconnected from the actuating.

mechanism, both of the electro-magnetic mechanisms being controlled by the contact member. p 7

8. Ina loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuating mechanism to give the boxes shiftmovements in a predetermined order,

electr c-magnetic means to lock the boxes against movement, and additional electromagnetic means brought into aotionby the first named electro-magnetic means to disconncct the actuating mechanism from the shuttle boxes.

9. In a loom having shiftingshuttle boxes, actuating mechanism to shift the shuttle boxesin a predetermined order, electro-magnetic means tolock said boxes againstmovement, a second brought into action by thevfirstnamed electro-n' agnctio means to disconnect the actuating mechanism from the boxes and a third clectro-magnetic means to unlock the boxes and to disable the second named elect-ro magnetic means to establish operative connection between the actuating mechanism and the shuttle boxes. i

10'. In aloom having a lay and shifting shuttle boxes, movable in opposite directions along a linefixed relatively to'the lay actuating mechanism to shift the shuttle boxes in a predetermined order and including a moving member to assume 'tWo difierent positions, and. electro-magnetic means effective only at such times as the moving memelectro-magnetic means berisin one or the other of said positions to disconnect the actuating mechanism from the shuttle boxes. 1 p v 11.'In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuating mechanism to shift the shuttle boxes in a predetermined order, and including a member moving between limits, clectro-magnetic means to lock the shuttle boxes against movement at such times only as said member is in one of its limiting positions, and additional elcctro-magnetic means to disconnect saidactuating mechanism from the shuttle boxes when said first named electro-magnetic means locks the shuttle boxes.

12. In a loom having a lay and shifting shuttle boxes, movable in opposite directions along a line fixed relatively to the lay mecha- Iii) nism to shift the shuttle boxes in a predetermined sequence, electro-magnetic means to disconnect said'mechanism from the boxes, said means including a travelling contact member, means having a regular movement while the loom operates to give said contact member a progressive movement, and contact points electrically connected to the electro-magnetic means tobe engaged in predetermined order by the contact member and tlective WllQIlSO engaged to cause said electro-magnetic means to disconnect the boxes and mechanism.

13. In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuating mechanism normally connected to the shuttle boxes to shift the latter in a predetermined order, electro-magnetic means to disconnect the actuating mechanism from the shifting shuttle boxes, additional electro-magnetic means to reestablish connection between the actuating mechanism and the'shuttle boxes, a set of contact memhere for each electro-magnetic means and a travelling contact member electrically connected to said'electro-magnetic mechanisms and having a regular progressive movement as the loom operates to have alternate con tact first with a contact member of one group andthen with a contact member of the other group in predetermined order and at se-,

connection between the actuating mechanism and the shuttle boxes. r

14. Ina loom having a lay and shifting shuttle boxes, movable in opposite directions along a line fixed relatively to the lay actuating mechanism normally connected to the shuttle boxes to cause shiftingof the latter in predetermined order, a plurality ofspaced contact points, electro-inagnetic means to prevent shifting of the boxes electrically connected to said contact points, a travelling contact member to have electrical contact at spaced intervals with said contact points, means establishing an electrical circuit includin said contact member and one of the contact points and said electro-magnetic means when said contact member engages any one of the contact points to energize said electro-magnet-ic means to prevent shifting of the boxes.

15. In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuating mechanism normally connected to the shuttle boxes to cause shifting of the latter in predetermined order, a contact member movable in opposite directions in a fixed path, two spaced groups of contact- 7 16. In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes, actuatingmechanism normally con nected to the'shuttle boxes to cause shifting of the latter in predetermined order, a contact member, means to move said contact member in opposite directions along a fixed path, re-

versing mechanism -for said means, electromagnetic mechanism to prevent shifting of the boxes, two spaced groups of contact points to be engaged by the contact member, the groups to be electrically connected to the elcctro-magnetic means one at a time, and

means to simultaneously reverse the direction of movement of the contact member and also electrically disconnect one group of contact points from the electro-niagnetic means and electrically connect the other group thereto.

17; In a box motion for looms having a lay, regularly moving actuating mechanism, shifting shuttle boxes, a pair of coaxial independently movable rotatable' members supported independently of the lay one of which is connected with the actuating mechanism and the other of which is connected to the shuttle boxes, means to cause said rotatable members to move together to cause the actuating mechanism to shift the boxes, and means to disconnect said rotatable members from each other, whereby the member connected to the actuating mechanism may move independently of the other member which is connected to the shifting boxes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

J OSEPH' N. DUlvlAS. 

